Page 53 - Curriculum Visions Dynamic Book

often made of tungsten. In fact, for electric and electronic uses there is almost no limit to the
number of metals applied. Many of these metals are available in very
small amounts, so techniques had to be found for
extracting them.
(Above) Aluminium is used for most long-distance electric wires.
Metals and electricity
The Industrial Revolution was an age of iron and steel. The arrival of electricity brought some old metals, such as copper, as well as new ones, such as aluminium, to the fore.
Electricity is carried from power
stations to homes, offices, and factories through wires. The best conductor for this purpose is copper. Copper is also malleable and so is good for flexible wiring. It is still used for internal wires such as those linking a computer to the wall socket and the wire connecting the socket to the main meter. For long-distance wiring, however, aluminium, which is nearly as good a conductor, is used because it is cheaper and lighter.
As electrical supply grew, so did the demand for copper and aluminium. But the electric age demanded even wider use of metals. For example, filaments for light bulbs and heating elements for cookers are
(Below) Tall utility towers, or pylons, of steel carrying high-voltage aluminium wires.
(Below) A lithium battery is just one of the many innovations with metals. Lithium batteries have more power and retain a constant voltage for much longer than lead batteries.
53